Tech Inclusion is an Important Factor to Make Startups Grow in Nigeria.

In months intervals, we hear of new startups budding up. And of-course, these startups’ major target audience/market are largely millennial or those that are in-turned with technology. With this, only few companies are developing services that can be accessed and used by the oldest people in rural communities across the country.

According to statistics, Nigeria has over 80 million young people. To many startups, these are the expected “hanging-fruits” left to be converted to makes sales. While these assertions may be correct, we also need to critically look at the number of functions this same millennial can perform on their phones other than using social media, receive calls and send text messages?

From my direct interactions and researches, I have discovered that only few segment of the millennial population really understands what is going on in the tech space and only that few would eventually use the services being created by the hundreds of startups we have and those coming up.

Hence, it makes no sense to keep building tech products/services and not also invest in those that will use it. As an ecosystem, we need to support initiatives, programs or events that enlightens more people about the power of science and technology, it usage and using the services created by Nigerian startups. Else, we are only building businesses for ourselves.

Here are critical questions to answer:

How many undergraduates do we have in the country?

How many of them can accurately use Google to solve their simplest assignment?

How many young graduates do we have in Nigeria?
How many of them can use the service developed by tech companies?

Still annoyed why Google Nigeria would drop adverts on how we can search for Mr Eazi musical lyrics? I think we should drop the anger about those ads and pledge to creating ripple effects with communities that are building people and make them accept the realities of the society and adopt tech products.

Do we want to build successful startups and ecosystem? The best time to invest in the target market itself is now.